


The storm next door

by mrloveache



Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: I love Levi man he’s such a cutie like he’s a bit of an idiot but the cute kind, M/M, and then rocked out to three days grace with him, he & Peri end up being super good friends so ye, if levi was my next door neighbor i would have prolly busted down the door with a fire extinguisher, levi's into rock bands & so am i, this is how the dorks met levi, you would have thought that beloved would be petty but peri won this round
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-07-28 20:29:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20070112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrloveache/pseuds/mrloveache
Summary: There's a new neighbor in Perianth & Beloved's apartment complex.And he has a tendency to play rock music at ungodly hours.Will Peri murder him? (he prolly will)





	1. Let's start a riot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to a new work featuring my group of circus monkeys (or something). 
> 
> This is another humorous work because I don’t think I have the emotional capacity to write anything serious right now... ;;  
(Unrelated, but I watched Yi city arc of The Untamed & I’m still mourning.)
> 
> Anyways, I hope it’s decent!

It was around 4 in the morning when Perianth and Beloved were awoken by bloodcurdling screams.

“What in fuck…?” Peri muttered.

He’d jolted awake in a panic, thinking that someone had broken into the apartment and wanted to axe them to death. It was the first night he had slept without his gun under his pillow; a desperate request from Beloved who feared the gun might miraculously fire a bullet straight into Peri’s skull while he slept.

”Do you want me to wake up and find you missing your head?” 

“Beloved, it’s just a Glock not a fucking bazooka! It won’t blast my whole head off!”

Peri had insisted that guns didn’t spontaneously decide to fire by themselves, but Beloved had watched too many action movies to listen. He’d adamantly refused to get into the bed until he saw, with his own two eyes, that Peri had placed the holster on the dresser safely away from them both.

After reaching under his pillow to be met with soft fabric instead of cool metal, Peri cursed himself and every single over exaggerated action film he could think of. “5ra...”

The room was pitch black, so he hurriedly fumbled around to flick the lamp switch. The sudden burst of light flooded the ceiling with a warm yellow shade which illuminated his surroundings. Luckily, there was no sign of an axe murderer, so Peri relaxed. He exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

He squinted to check the time on the wall clock. “Who the fuck is asking for death at… Four in the morning?!”

The sound of rustling bedsheets made Peri turn to find that Beloved was sitting up in bed, his delicate hands rubbing the drowsiness from his eyes. He let out a series of soft, sleepy moans, sounding almost like a mewling kitten.

Beloved’s hair had come undone from his night-time braid, falling in silky tendrils around his jade-like face. There was a certain mysterious beauty to his sleep-filled face that rivaled all the ancient gods and goddesses.

“Is someone being tortured?” Beloved’s question was followed by a yawn. He quickly covered his mouth in embarrassment. Even if it was just the two of them alone, Beloved never failed to mind his manners. He was taught that even if no one was watching, it was expected of him to carry himself properly and display constant decorum.

“No, it sounds like… Music?”

What was supposed to be “music” was blasting through to their room from the neighboring apartment, each pulsing beat threatening to collapse the wall into a pile of rubble.

They could also hear another voice screaming out the lyrics at the top of their lungs, with incredible enthusiasm at such an ungodly hour. He sounded so impressively off-key that Peri felt he had to praise him for failing to hit a single note in the entire song. How could someone be so tone-deaf, yet still sing as if their life depended on it?

Peri peeked over the edge of the bed, grabbed his slippers and flung them angrily at the wall.

Since the slippers were made of cotton, they didn’t exactly have much of an effect. The action, however, did allow Peri to vent off 1% of his rage. He only wished he could have thrown the slippers straight at the offender’s head. Or shoved them down his throat. "Maybe if he swallowed some seeds, a tree would grow and suffocate him." Peri thought to himself darkly. 

“GO THE FUCK TO SLEEP YA 5RA!” He roared.

“Don’t Perianth... You’ll hurt your lungs.” Beloved soothed. His hands reached for Peri’s waist in the darkness, fingers pressing comfortingly to undo the knots in the tender skin. “I’ll speak with the landlord tomorrow.”

Humming softly, he planted a series of kisses up and down the side of Peri’s neck. The scent of fresh laundry wafted from that alabaster skin, overwhelming Beloved with a smell he had spent years waking up to. He’d memorized that smell so well, he could distinguish every single note and recognize it in a sea of people.

Peri melted into Beloved’s arms, but it did nothing to suppress his annoyance. “Tomorrow’s never gonna come if this idiot doesn’t shut it.”

Watching Beloved let out another yawn made it hard for Peri to suppress his own.

The song eventually ended, but just when Peri’s eyes had closed and he’d settled into Beloved’s warm embrace, the next song exploded through the walls.

LET’S START A RIOT.  
A RIOT.  
LET’S START A RIOT.

Peri was going to start something alright, but it probably wouldn’t be as innocent as a riot.

Try massacre.

Or first-degree murder.

“That’s it.” Peri sighed solemnly. “I’m gonna cook this punk!”

Beloved tried to wrestle Peri back onto the bed as he struggled to get up.

“Get off me Beloved! I swear to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph if you don't get off, I'll bite you.”

After a few failed attempts, Beloved successfully managed to pin the younger man beneath him. His hand clamped over Peri’s mouth to muffle his furious shouts.

“For goodness sake, you’re making it worse!” Beloved was laughing, however, his face glowing with fondness for the man under him.

The sight of knit eyebrows, pink cheeks and wide eyes made Peri all the more adorable, even when he was fuming with rage.

As a counter attack, Peri stuck his tongue out and dragged it around the palm of Beloved’s hand until the older man was grossed out enough to release him.

“My gun… Where is it?” He muttered to himself madly.

It only took a few moves for Peri to shake Beloved off, then grab his gun holster from the top of the dresser.

He left the older man to wipe the saliva off his hand, and was almost out the door when he remembered to take his grandfather’s cane with him.

It was an antique heirloom that had been passed down through generations of the Fleuret family, originating from when they inhabited the mountains of Levant.

The cane was custom made out of black cherry wood and engraved with an ivy pattern.

Chrysantheus didn’t want it, so Peri ended up inheriting it. Frankly, most of the antique oddities ended up with Peri, because Chrys was smart enough to refuse them.

Grandpa Lisianthus made Peri promise to take good care of it, since it was priceless. Yet now here he was, wielding it like a weapon as he charged out of his apartment.

So much for treasuring and preserving priceless antiques.

“Perianth, my love…” Beloved called. He had donned his outer robes and was standing at the door to their shared apartment, in an attempt to stop Peri. The light of the hallway made his skin glow like fine jade and highlighted the contours of his face excellently. “Please come back inside before you kill someone.”

“He’s asking for it!” Peri called back as he moved towards their neighbor’s front door. He took large strides in the hopes of reaching faster.

“You’ll get arrested!”

“I’m above the fucking law!!”

Which wasn’t exactly a lie. He was, in a sense, the law itself.

Peri’s hair was sticking up in a cloud around his head, while the only articles of clothing on him were a pair of striped boxers, white socks, and a humungous coffee-stained shirt. He looked so comically dangerous, that anyone who happened to walk out right now might have called the cops on him.

“Alright punk…” He snarled. “I’m gonna beat you to death with my slipper.” (Which he forgot in his room.)

Peri used his grandfather’s cane to hammer at the door as he shouted abuse with every single “thump”.

The neighbor inside obviously couldn’t hear anything, especially when the music was blasting loud enough for residents on mars to hear it.

“YA 6EEZ OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!”

I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU.  
WHY DO I LOVE YOU?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Ya 5ra (Ya khara)= you shit  
\- Ya 6eez (Ya teez)= you ass 
> 
> (Two of my favorite Arabic insults XD This work features quite a bit of Arabic because why tf not right? I wonder if anyone ever tried to google the pronunciations of these words...)
> 
> The song lyrics (in caps) are by Three Days Grace.


	2. Clothes. Off.

Beloved appeared beside Peri and hurriedly hooked his arms around his shoulders. The more he dragged, the more Peri pulled, neither of them yielding.

“Let’s go inside,” Beloved suggested. “Before someone arrests you…”

“Leave off, I already said I’d kill him!”

Absorbed in their own exchange, the pair didn’t notice that the music had stopped and the door was slowly starting to open.

“Hello there!”

A pale face fitted with enormous, glittering green eyes grinned at them   
from the doorway. Flaming red locks framed the elfin features quite prettily.

It was so bright inside the apartment, that it outshined a sports stadium. Peri was curious to see how much this guy’s electricity bill was going to be.

“Sorry, have you been knocking long? I couldn’t hear you over the music.”

The elfin man grinned at them in a friendly manner. He was average in terms of height and build, but quite charming when it came to features. Peri immediately couldn’t help but notice the man’s ridiculously oversized sweater as well as his lack of pants. He wasn’t wearing any shoes either, but sported a pair of penguin-patterned socks.

Not only did he lack common sense, but he also lacked a fashion sense.

“Wlk yl3n abouk, inshallah bysma3ook bl 2br…” (see notes for translation)

“Perianth, manners.” Beloved warned, but the younger man wasn’t listening.

“How do I say that in English? Help me translate it so this fool can get it.” Peri whispered impatiently.

It wasn’t like Beloved understood a word of what Peri said anyways (besides maybe abouk), but the way the sentence dripped so venomously from Peri’s lips was proof that he wasn’t welcoming their new neighbor with kind words or well wishes.

“Do you know what time it is?” Peri asked the grinning man.

The red-head looked at them apologetically as he scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t actually… I’m new in town so-“

“It’s four in the fucking morning ya zft!” Peri snapped. He only refrained from clobbering the man to death with his cane because Beloved was gripping his hand tightly.

“Oh!” The man’s face flooded with a flush that was an identical shade to his hair. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize!”

How could someone not realize it was late? The sky was dark, the silence was eerie, and not a single solitary human was roaming around.

Peri was beside himself with rage.  
Beloved, who still had a tight grip on him, was wondering whether he should laugh or cry.

“Would you like to come inside? I just moved in, so I only have orange juice and Hot Cheetos.” The man’s sunny disposition and sudden hospitality caught Peri off guard for a split second.

He shook his head, forcing himself to focus his attention back to the issue at hand (instead of staring at his neighbor’s freckles).

“Listen buddy, you’re tap dancing on my last nerve,” Peri snarled. “Turn that racket off or I’ll do it myself.”

With that, Peri grabbed Beloved’s hand and promptly dragged him away before he had a chance to say anything.

Beloved smiled apologetically, offering their stunned neighbor a wave as he let Peri tug him back to their apartment.

“What happened to cooking him?”

A sound resembling a low growl came from Peri’s direction. “Shut up Beloved or I’ll cook you instead.”

Once they were back inside, they sat together on the bed.. Neither one of them knew what to say to break the awkwardness created by their tsunami of a neighbor.

Beloved fixed his braid in silence while Peri watched. Once it was to his liking, he twisted it into a bun on top of his head, then secured it with the jade pin he kept on the bedside table.

Sleep had escaped them and no matter what they did, they couldn’t close their eyes again.

They both had work early in the morning too, so they were in deep shit if they didn’t catch a few hours of shut-eye.

Peri wasn’t in the mood to fall asleep during an interrogation and risk his whole reputation, but what could he do?

“Blow it,” Peri finally sighed. “It’s time for a little payback…”

Beloved was just about to ask what he meant when he found himself pushed back onto the covers. Peri climbed on top and positioned his pale, slim legs either side of Beloved’s hips.

There was a wild look in Peri’s inky eyes that bordered more on madness rather than lust.

“Clothes. Off.”

Beloved stared at his partner, mouth hanging open.

Since when was Peri this direct about wanting to make love? It was almost always Beloved who asked for it (or just playfully abducted Peri to their bedroom).

He was also taken aback by the fact that Peri wanted to dominate this time.   
The younger man would usually be too tired out from work and would let Beloved have his way with him instead.

“Perianth, I don’t think we should do this…“

“I can just fuck myself if you aren’t in the mood.”

“No, I-“

Before Beloved could continue, Peri pressed a thin finger to his lips and held his other finger to his own lips. “Shh~ That idiot didn’t let us sleep, so we’re not gonna let him sleep either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Wlk yl3n abouk, inshallah bysma3ook bl 2br = this translates to something along the lines of "I curse your father. If God wills it, then they will hear you when you're in your grave." (trust me it's funnier in Arabic).  
** "Wlk" doesn't have a proper English translation, but some people say it can mean "you idiot".
> 
> \- Ya zft = literally means "you tar". It's pretty rude, but not scandalous.
> 
> I said it before &; I'll say it again, cursing in Arabic is prolly the most fun &; creative thing ever. Also, cursing someone's dad is a huge no-no :)


	3. Shameless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the first time, Peri was shameless.  
It prolly will never happen again...

The next morning, the pair woke up with aching heads and aching bodies.

They’d enjoyed a night full of pleasure, but now they were paying the price for their mischief.

Peri had pinned Beloved’s hands above his head the whole night, refusing to let the older man muffle his lust-filled moans. Instead, he’d egged him on to be as loud as possible.

To make it even worse, Peri had tossed the pillows and blankets and anything else Beloved could use to cover his mouth to the ground.

Over and over, Beloved had begged Peri to release his hands and spare his dignity, but Peri promptly refused. “I don’t think I can hold back anymore…”

“Good. I want to hear your voice, so use it for something other than arguing,” had been Peri’s response. It might have just been an excuse, but the way Peri had spoken those words made a warm sensation swim through Beloved’s lower body.

The intensity of Peri’s gaze as well as the heat of the moment made Beloved lose his wits, and unconsciously let out a desperate whimper.

“I told you it was a bad idea…” Beloved sighed from where he was brushing his teeth. Not a single drop of toothpaste leaked out of his mouth, which made Peri wonder how someone could brush their teeth with so much elegance. 

Peri, who was sprawled on the bed nursing a headache, groaned loudly in reply. On the ground by his feet was a tray stacked with 5 empty coffee cups (that had not been enough).

“Next time, just throw me out of the room.” He mumbled. “God, my head’s killing me…”

Several more cups of coffee later, Peri’s headache had eased slightly.

After they’d fixed their appearance, they headed out of their apartment for the day, praying they wouldn’t fall asleep on the road.

There was no music coming from their neighbor’s side so he was either out, asleep, or dead.

Just so he wouldn’t have to kill the man himself, Peri strongly hoped for the latter.

“Imagine you fall asleep during a surgery…” Peri laughed as he yawned loudly.

Beloved’s eyes widened in horror. “Don’t even joke about that!”

“Sorry sorry,” Peri giggled. “But hey, last night was nice, so it’s not all bad, right?”

“I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” Beloved murmured. “But perhaps with _you_ under me instead... Wrists wrapped in luscious silk, body bathed in moonlight, your voice shattering the silence...”He leaned over to kiss Peri just as the traffic light switched to green.

It disappointed him that he had to separate their lips right away, but he’d have the chance to devour Peri properly once they’d parked the car in a safe location.

"Save the poetry for bedtime." Peri rolled his eyes, yet his heart throbbed at the sound of Beloved's velvety voice.

Peri dropped Beloved off at the clinic first, then continued his trip to the bureau.

Before he left, he walked Beloved to the door, suddenly finding himself being pulled in for a quick kiss.

“Enough, you beast.” Peri snapped, but he was smiling.

“Just a little more~” Beloved’s canines nipped at Peri’s lower lip in a feral manner, granting his tongue access into Peri’s mouth. Their tongues slid and slipped over each other, and when they moved away, a translucent string of saliva remained between their lips.

“I’ll be waiting for you tonight.” Beloved’s voice came out as a purr.

Peri’s reply was laced with mischief. “Don’t miss me too much.”

After sharing one final peck, they said goodbye to each other.

Beloved waved and waved until he couldn’t see Peri’s car anymore. That’s when he turned around and made his way into the clinic.

When Peri arrived at the bureau, he found it buzzing with energy, the officers hurrying around attending to their work.

Everyone looked neater than usual with their shirts tucked into their pants properly for once.

They stopped to say good morning to Peri as he walked by them, and he nodded back in reply.

He was surprised to see Rowen near the water cooler. The forensic doctor rarely ventured out of his lair, so the officers only ever saw him a few times a month, mostly when there was an emergency.

He was holding a styrofoam cup of water, from which he took delicate sips. The action resembled a cat lapping at its water bowl.

“Rowe!” Peri called cheerfully, despite the dull ache in his temples.

Rowen waved his fingers stiffly. “Fleuret.”

“You’re out of your cave for once. What’s the occasion?”

Rowen’s replies were as terse as ever, not exactly surprising Peri. “New member.”

It had been a while since they received a new recruit at the bureau. Peri now understood why everyone was rushing around with so much energy.

As he was about to question Rowen further, the general stepped into the room, causing the buzzing to die down.

“Everyone, we have a new recruit. This is Levi.” The general announced. “He’s going to be the new analyst, since our previous one resigned.”

Another new fish to fry… Peri hoped he wouldn’t be assigned to his department.

With a bored expression, Peri glanced at the man standing next to the general.

He did a double-take as he drank in the familiar features.

Blinding smile.

Sparkling emerald green eyes.

Flaming red hair.

“You!”

Without meaning to, Peri had shouted at the recruit in front of the whole bureau. His eyes were rounder than saucepans as he continued to stare, open-mouthed, at him.

Levi looked at him with initial confusion, tilting his head to one side. He seemed to be trying to recall where he’d seen Peri before.

When realization finally dawned on him a few seconds later, the man’s lips split into a wide grin, as if he’d met a long lost friend.

“My neighbor!” He declared happily, grabbing Peri into a sudden hug. “What are you doing here?”

“I work here idiot…” Peri muttered as he hurried to pull himself out of Levi’s hold.

The bureau had fallen into a silence so eerie, the hum of the AC sounded like a war plane ready to drop a bomb.

“It appears that the two of you are acquainted.” The general mused. He looked from Peri to Levi, and back again. The expression on his face was one of contemplation.

“Yes!” The red-head nodded joyfully.

Peri’s hurried reply came out at the same time, “`Fuck no!”

“Excellent,” declared the general. “Levi, I’ll assign you to Peri. He’ll show you around the bureau and make sure you’re familiar with things.”

Great.

The one thing Peri had hoped wouldn’t happen had happened.

He’d threatened this man quite severely last night, and now he was supposed to act friendly?

On top of that, he probably heard the heated ppp session last night, from the amount of noise he and Beloved had made.

How was Peri supposed to face him now?


	4. Panic

It had been a stroke of luck that allowed Peri to escape for a few minutes and run to the nearest toilet.

He’d left Levi in the care of one of his subordinates, claiming that he badly needed to pee.

Now that he was safely inside one of the cubicles, he closed the toilet lid and crouched on top of it. After he had let himself have a 5-minute panic session (Which consisted of him rocking forwards and backwards while muttering to himself), he pulled out his phone and began to furiously type out a text.

So many thoughts were rushing through his head, like little Dalmatians.

**> PERI:** Ah-Tuo.  
**> PERI:** You’ll never guess who showed up at the bureau.  
**> PERI:** I’m fucked. I’m fucking fucked I tell you.

He waited for Beloved's reply with bated breath as he impatiently jiggled his leg up and down. "Where are you when I'm fucking hyperventilating?"

**> BELOVED:** Is it someone I know?  
**> BELOVED:** Why are you so distressed babe?? (◯Δ◯∥)

**> PERI:** Hell ye it’s someone you know!  
**> PERI:** Because I’m fucked that’s why. I thought my face was thick-skinned but ye no I’m fucked.

**> BELOVED:** Hmm~  
**> BELOVED:** Is it the man from last night?

**> PERI:** HOW THE FUCK DID YOU KNOW???

**> BELOVED:** Lucky guess ≧◡≦  
**> BELOVED:** Is he going to be working at the bureau?

**> PERI:** Yup. I nearly pissed myself when I saw him!!   
**> PERI:** The general put him under my care.  
**> PERI:** And I basically just wanna die.

**> BELOVED:** Why, is he that bad?

**> PERI:** It’s not him.  
**> PERI:** I can’t look at him properly after last night.  
**> PERI:** Ffs Ah-Tuo, I threatened to cook him…  
**> PERI:** If that wasn’t bad enough, he heard us fucking.  
**> PERI:** WTF am I supposed to do now????

**> BELOVED:** You’re too cute when you’re panicking~ ❤︎

**> PERI:** Not funny. I’m literally having a meltdown.  
**> PERI:** Fuck me now.

**> BELOVED:** I gladly would ^_-   
**> BELOVED:** Why don’t you invite him over for dinner & we’ll cook something for him?  
**> BELOVED:** As a way of apologizing.

**> PERI:** Are you fucking with me? I can’t even look him in the eye…

**> BELOVED:** Just try~ ❤︎ Let me know how it goes!


	5. Nervous invitation

At the end of the day, Peri plucked up the courage to approach Levi.

While emptying his bladder earlier, he had chewed his lower lip into a crimson mess out of nervousness. The blood seeped between the cracked skin, blooming like a desert rose. It took a while for the blood to stop, and once it did, almost 10 minutes had passed by with no resolution still.

He’d also spent a good half hour pacing in the hallway after his conversation with Beloved, thinking of ways he could get out of this mess.

In the end, he didn’t manage to arrive at a solution, no matter how much he paced and muttered.

Letting out a resigned sigh, Peri went to look for his leprechaun neighbor. He hoped that some kind god would do him a solid and make Levi vanish into thin air.

However, the red-head was still very much there. He was sitting in Peri’s office, scribbling something in illegible handwriting onto a sticky note. 

A silver bracelet glinted on his creamy wrist. The delicate chain held a thin cross at the end of it. It was simple, but elegant.

Peri was surprised that Levi possessed something so pretty. Maybe he had inherited it from his grandmother or received it as a gift.

He really didn’t expect Levi himself to be anything short of an annoying idiot.

The red-head was surprisingly stylish and put-together, albeit air-headed. 

Peri thought he would turn up in a tacky outfit and mess up his first meeting with the bureau members, but he was impressed with Levi’s turtleneck and sweater coordinate.

It looked like something straight out of a fashion magazine, paired with classic black Converse, relaxed jeans, and mustard socks. 

Sure, he was overly-enthusiastic about everything and practically shot rainbows out of his nose, but it was charming.

“Hey…”

Levi didn’t seem to hear him. As Peri moved closer, he noticed that Levi had earphones in. Peri half expected to hear more screaming, but Levi seemed to be listening to a pop song with a catchy beat. 

He made a mental note to ask what the song was later.

Peri tried again, this time gently poking Levi’s shoulder with one finger. 

“Oh hi!” Levi smiled brightly. His glittering eyes closed when he did, making it the most endearing sight Peri had seen. 

“Want a ride home?” Peri mumbled as he shuffled his feet. 

What was wrong with him? He hadn’t been this nervous when he declared his feelings for Beloved… He had to get it together. 

Levi’s eyes widened, his mouth going round. “Really? That’d be great!”

“We live in the same apartment, so it’s no big deal.” Peri shrugged, trying to play it cool. 

“I owe you one!” Levi grinned, bumping shoulders with Peri. “Would you mind if we stopped by a grocery store first, though?”

Peri’s eyes moved to the sticky note in Levi’s hand. He could almost make out what looked like “honey” and “milk” on the paper.

“Sure, but…” 

Taking a deep breath, Peri shoved his hands deeply into his pockets and leaned on the side of his desk. 

His eyes focused on his scuffed Docs as he spoke. “Look, my boyfriend was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with us. You know, to apologize for yelling at you last night and keeping you up…”

“Whoa man, you still remember last night?” Levi’s big eyes went even bigger (if that was possible). “I barely remember how I got here this morning! And you didn’t keep me up! I conked out straight after you left.” 

At this point, Peri began to wonder whether he should laugh or cry.

This guy was a on a whole other level of idiot. In the cutest way possible. 

If there was anything Peri was thankful for, it was the fact that Levi hadn’t heard a thing during the night. 

His face could go back to being thick-skinned.

Looking back, it was a petty thing to do in the first place. But at least the couple had a good time.

“Anyways, I’d love to! By the way, the man from last night… He’s your boyfriend?” The look on Levi’s face was adorable. His eyes had a dreamy look to them and his smile had softened. “You two look like you were made for each other!”

The color in Peri’s cheeks intensified. He had to do his utmost to stop himself from grinning like an idiot. “Thanks…”

Levi wasn’t the first one to tell him this, but it was still nice to hear that he and Beloved looked good together.

It made a sense of pride swell up in his chest.

“Anyways, let’s go?”

——

The trip to the grocery store took less than an hour, since Levi only needed a few items.

Honey and milk, just like Peri had managed to read. Toilet paper, toothpaste, bread, and several bags of pistachios. 

Levi shamelessly picked up a pack of scented toilet paper that had ducks all over it. After he tossed it into the cart (without blinking an eye), he continued forward to choose a tube of toothpaste, leaving Peri to stare at him in shock.

Peri’s mind was in utter chaos. “Who the fuck still buys patterned toilet paper in the 21st century?!” 

Out of politeness, Peri quietly pulled his wallet out and paid for the groceries before Levi could. 

He remembered what Levi said about being new in town, and it reminded him of when he first arrived too.

“Come on man, you didn’t have to do that!” Levi argued when they stepped out of the store.

The neon store-sign illuminated both their faces in the darkness, making their eyes glow in a mysterious way. 

“True…” Peri agreed. “But I wanted to, so it’s no big deal.” 

On their way back to the car, Levi thanked him several times “I’ll treat you to lunch when I get my first paycheck!” 

“Honestly, there’s no need.” Peri brushed him off cooly. He was highly uncomfortable with people thanking him, especially for simple, mundane things. 

The drive back to the apartment complex passed without either of them speaking a word. Levi was too busy watching the world pass by outside to remember to say anything.

Peri had let him choose the channel on the radio, so he settled for one that was playing 80s synth wave. 

Thank the heavens it wasn’t death metal or else Peri’s eardrums would have been brutally assaulted again. 

After parking the car, the pair walked to Levi’s apartment so they could deposit the groceries inside.

The apartment was relatively bare. A fridge was the only thing standing in the small kitchen.

There was a mattress on the floor, covered with a penguin-patterned blanket.

Majority of the space was taken up by an expansive stereo set. Several speakers were arranged on the floor, the wires a tangled mess. An electric guitar, that was hooked up to an amp, was displayed on a stand. 

“You play?”

Levi blushed as he put the milk in the empty fridge. “When I have time. But I’ve only just started, so I’m pretty shit at it.” 

The groceries were tidied up in a matter of minutes. 

“Uhm… Should I change my clothes or…?“

“It’s just Beloved and I,” Peri told him. “You look fine anyways, it’s not like we’re gonna judge you.” 

Nonetheless, Levi quickly darted into his room to spray a bit of perfume and fix his messy hair.

The lemony scent was strangely familiar to Peri, but he couldn’t place where he’d smelled it before.

As he walked to his own apartment, with Levi following close behind, the thought remained forgotten at the back of his mind.


	6. Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story of how Perianth & Beloved met Levi has finally come to an end.   
I hope everyone found it funny, light, cute? I dunno XD   
(there's always a chance I might rewrite this if I come up with a better idea lol)

“Ah-Tuo! I’m home!” Peri announced after unlocking the door.

Beloved called back something in response, but Peri couldn’t distinguish what he said over the sound of the dishwasher.

As a safety precaution, he told Beloved to always lock the door and never open it for anyone when he was home alone. It wasn’t like the pair had any enemies, but Peri was always worried something might happen to Beloved when he wasn’t home to protect him.

Beloved was far from weak or delicate, but his body wasn’t as well-trained as Peri’s. Overpowering him was highly possible, especially if more than one person attempted it.

On one occasion, an escaped asylum patient had banged down the door when Beloved was home alone and held him at knifepoint, demanding that Beloved hide him from the police.

Luckily, Peri was one of the officers dispatched after the man so he managed to rescue Beloved in time. He ended up being the unlucky one though. While hurriedly trying to move the man away from his lover, Peri had grabbed onto the knife with his bare hands to prevent the patient from attacking.

Both of them had wrestled the knife back and forth between each other as the blade cut into the palms of Peri’s hands. Once the other officers finally detained the man, Peri’s hands had been shredded to ribbons, pouring brilliant crimson blood onto the parquet floor. The scars had healed, but the ordeal itself had been incredibly painful and hindering since he’d kept his hands bandaged for weeks.

Peri and Levi took their shoes off in the hallway. Peri tossed his Docs carelessly onto the ground and made a beeline for the kitchen as Levi spent a few minutes neatly aligning the tips of his Converse together. He wasn’t a neat-freak, but he didn’t want to offend his hosts by being untidy.

Levi followed Peri to the kitchen like a loyal pet dog.

The sight of Beloved in an apron was the first thing that met them when they walked in. He had rolled up the sleeves of his oatmeal sweater to reveal his pale unadorned wrists and used a simple wooden pin to secure his hair into a messy bun.

There was something about his appearance that gave the impression that this man dressed to be undressed. His clothes weren’t tight or revealing in the slightest, but there was just _something_ seductive about him.

“Good evening.” Beloved greeted the pair with a dazzling smile that made Peri’s heart skip a beat.

Moving away from the stove, he took Peri into his arms and peppered the younger man’s face with tender kisses. Peri tried to push him away embarrassedly, yet he didn’t seem to mind the affection. There was pure adoration behind the annoyed look he gave Beloved.

Levi was visibly stunned. He stood staring at the couple, wondering how on earth a single person could be so flawless and how he could hold so much love within him for another.

“You’re really beautiful… I mean, no! Sorry, I’m not hitting on you or anything, I just…” Levi’s voice turned high-pitched as he tried to recover in a panic. His entire face became the color of strawberry sorbet.

“Uhm, I’m Levi… Thanks for having me.” He finally managed to mumble.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Beloved.” He bowed his head slightly, the smile never slipping an inch off his jade-like face. “Thank you for joining us. We don’t have guests very often.”

Levi, who was dumbstruck, could only nod in reply. Something told him that his neighbor’s boyfriend was no stranger to compliments.

He took a seat at the table, not knowing what else he could do. “Can I help with anything?”

Beloved waved his hands assuredly. “Thank you, but you don’t have to worry. I’m just waiting for the noodles to cool down. I hope you like Sichuan cuisine.”

Levi was about to ask what that was, when Peri jumped in to save the day. “It's Chinese. Hopefully you’re not allergic to anything and we don’t accidentally kill you.”

The couple dished out the food into plain white porcelain bowls.

Peri was just about to carry them to the table when Beloved’s arm snaked around his waist, holding him back. “I forgot the garnish.”

His thin fingers delicately sprinkled sesame seeds and green onions over the noodles. Before letting Peri go, Beloved leaned down to plant a kiss on his cheek.

“All done~”

Levi noticed the bowl in front of Beloved was considerably less “red” compared to theirs.

“I can’t handle spicy food too well. ” Beloved told him, when he caught him staring. “But Peri loves it, so I can’t say no to him.”

Peri rolled his eyes as he blew lightly on his food. “You can, you just like suffering.”

“If it’s for your sake, then I’m more than willing to suffer.” Beloved laughed.

For a moment, Levi forgot about the food in front of him and stared at the couple, clearly immersed in their banter. He was amazed that two people could be so different yet so in love at the same time.

Only when Beloved interrupted his thoughts, did Levi snap back to reality.

“What?” Levi asked dumbly. How long had he zoned out for?

Beloved repeated the question, a sparkle in his golden eyes. “Is the food to your liking?”

“Yeah, sorry! It’s really good.” Levi grinned, giving the older man a double thumbs up. He shoveled the food into his mouth with enthusiasm, savoring the symphony of flavors. "Like insanely good!" 

Levi couldn’t remember ever eating something so delicious before. He wasn’t a pro with food, but he enjoyed the combination of sesame paste and vinegar.

“Not too spicy, I hope?” Beloved asked, a genuinely concerned expression on his face.

“No, no!” Levi quickly assured him. “I can eat a family size bag of Hot Cheetos myself, so I’m used to it!”

Peri grinned at him and held out his hand for a high five. “We’re gonna get along really well.”

The trio spent the rest of the night talking and eating.

Peri and Beloved learned that Levi was actually from Austria. He was also a natural red-head and adored penguins with a fierce passion.

He wasn’t a big fan of sweet things, so when Beloved pulled out a tin of homemade brownies, he said he’d pass.

Peri was stunned at the discovery. It was rare for anyone to resist Beloved’s dessert, especially if it involved chocolate. “I’ll eat your piece for you then.”

It was around 9 PM when Levi decided to leave. He had noticed the way Beloved kept glancing at Peri and trying to sneak in kisses, so he figured he should give them some privacy.

The couple walked Levi to the door. They asked him to drop by again; it had been a fun night, one they wouldn’t mind repeating.

Peri told Levi he’d come knocking at seven in the morning so they could go to work together. Levi tried to decline, but Peri insisted.

They lived in the same building and worked in the same building, so wasn’t it dumb to go separately?

“You better not play anymore satanic music or I’ll kick down your door.” Peri warned him in a mock-serious tone. 

Musical laughter filled the apartment as Levi stooped down to lace up his Converse. “I promise I won’t!” He raised three fingers into the air to show his sincerity.

“Please don’t hurt my door. I don’t think I’ll be able to pay for a new one anytime soon…”

The minute Levi left, Beloved grabbed Peri around the abdomen and pressed him against the door. His breath tickled the younger man's ear as he breathed amorously against Peri's skin. 

“I’ve been wanting to undress you all night…” He murmured, letting his hands disappear down the back of Peri’s corduroy trousers.

Peri offered him an unflinching smile, seemingly unaffected by the stimulation happening to his lower body.

“You’ll have to catch me first!”

And with that, Peri swiftly ducked out of Beloved’s hold and ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> End (?)  
I will not write a proper ppp scene thanks (saving that for the next work lmao)


End file.
